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In Scott Walker recall, Wisconsin Dems tout 1 million signatures

Walker himself predicted that a recall election will occur sometime in June. | AP Photo

“Gov. Walker tackled Wisconsin’s challenges head on, and his plan to turn around Wisconsin is working,” RGA Chairman Bob McDonnell said. “Thanks to Gov. Walker’s leadership, the future prospects of Wisconsin’s taxpayers, families and job-creating business owners are brighter than ever.”

Newt Gingrich was the first GOP presidential candidate to express public support for Walker Tuesday. “Newt proudly campaigned for Gov. Walker when he was running for office and he would proudly do it again. He is one of the best things going for the Republican Party,” Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond said.

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“Recall should be used only for politicians who have been guilty or crime or fraud, not those who take on powerful special interests. Scott Walker showed bold leadership. If international union bosses want to beat Gov. Walker, they should try to do so through the proper election process. This recall would set a dangerous precedent,” said Ron Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton.

Successful recall efforts are a rarity in modern politics. But the idea that they could be used as an effective weapon against political opponents received a historic boost in 2003, when California Gov. Gray Davis was ousted less than a year after his reelection in a recall bid led by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Walker, 44, began his confrontation with public employee unions within weeks of taking office a year ago. He submitted an austerity budget for Wisconsin that included provisions to revoke the collective bargaining rights of most state workers on most contract provisions beyond wages, and took other steps to weaken the power of the unions.

Conservatives around the country cheered what they saw as a courageous step. But Walker’s move led to massive protests in Madison and around the country, and a showdown with Democrats in the state legislature that saw Democratic state senators leave the state in an effort to prevent a quorum for Walker’s measure to pass. The bill eventually was enacted after a series of court challenges ended in Walker’s favor.

Walker had long expected the recall effort to net enough signatures to force a vote. “From our viewpoint, this election – come April or May – will not be about a rehash of last February and March. Voters in this state, and not just because I’m going to say it, are overwhelmingly ready to move on. They want to move forward. So our argument – real simple – will be: Do you want to move forward or backward?” Walker told POLITICO in December.

A loophole in state law allows Walker to do unlimited fundraising until a recall date is set, and Walker’s been aggressively stockpiling funds for the coming onslaught.

As for his potential Democratic challenger, the governor predicted that the candidate will be “hand-picked” by the unions, declaring that his yet-to-be-named “opponent” is not a single person, but “big union bosses.”

Andy Stern, former president of the Service Employees International Union, said Tuesday that Walker was getting what he deserved for using his power for “political payback” against the unions.

Readers' Comments (509)

This is what happens when republicans overreach: voter backlash. I signed the partition, and I’m proud of it. I do not support unions, and have never belonged to a union. Welcome to the great Walker flameout. Republicans in DC are next, starting in November, 2012.

This is absurd. They claim to have the signature of everyone who voted against Walker in the last election, a feat that is too amazing to believe. Given that for much of the signing period folks thought that no one would check the signatures for duplicates or phonies, it seems likely that this number is more inflated than usual. I rather doubt that normal rules-of-thumb will apply.

Well since Walker's Wisc. issues, laws and policies have worked for most of their citizens, it appears that the corrupt WTA and SEIU and DNC all want to overthrow any common sense laws which will cut taxes, spending and regs. BTW, Walker has saved many homes with his property tax reforms. If he goes, then the rabid, radical left will have made Wisc. look like Greece and Albania which they love.

In Scott Walker recall, Wisconsin Dems tout 1 million recall signatures. it is obvious that this is just Obama and his crony left wingers aleinating the real American citizens. I can not why the liberals are still kissing his naked a__s. Must be hablt forming.

Oh the irony! When the over ONE MILLION petitions are signed to recall Scott Walker for trying to destroy the 99% for the 1%, he is at a luncheon given by the dude who basically trashed AIG and at a cost of $2500 a plate. (How does this dinner compare with unemployment insurance? Its about, what, two months of money his unemployed citizens are living on?)

Governor Walker brought this on himself, not because of his policies--however necessary--but because of his confrontational style. He puts down his own employees in the most strident terms possible and then wonders why they hate his guts. The governor of Montana faced similar fiscal difficulties; yet he managed to deal with them more calmly and effectively.

This is a great way to waste more tax payer dollars. The unions who are proposing this should fund the cost of the election to the state. Put the money where the mouth is! Lets see who is willing to actually pay instead of forcing the hard working (ie: not union) tax payers.

I am amazed that in this day and age - a drivers license was not required to sign the petition but then democrats don't care about fraud - its about the agenda not the method for getting there. They are trying to lead us towards the destruction of this country. Worker safety made this country great. Union greed has robbed us of that greatness!

I didn't even know that there were 1 million people In Wisconsin!!!!! I wonder how many promises were

made to people for signing the petition. I how they find that at least 1/.4 of the signatures are a hoax.....then the assho*es can be charged with fraud. ****y Liberals,,,they don;t get their way so they have to resort to plans that have not been used very often. You vote , you get what you voted for OR against. Simple Concept. Where were these million people at the original elections???